OMAHA — Axtell’s dreams of a Class D team championship hopes got a shot in the arm with the very first race of the day for the Wildcats at the Nebraska High School Track and Field Championships at Omaha Burke.
Running close to the lead and in front about half the 4x800-meter relay, the Wildcats put the baton in the hands of Calvin Johnson who took the lead a quarter of a mile from the finish and pulled away to give the Wildcats the gold medal and a quick 10 points.
“I knew I could catch up to him, but he’s a good athlete, so I was going to stick on his butt. ... Then in the final 400, I had to make a move and go for first,” Johnson said.
The team — which included Luc Lopez, Keyton Cole and Cooper Miller — finished in 8 minutes, 30.27 seconds. Falls City Sacred Heart came in at 8:31.89.
Axtell is a dark horse in the team race, even though the Wildcatters won in 2018 and 2019. They ran under the radar while winning the district meets, performing to qualify for state instead of pursuing eye-popping times.
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That made them somewhat of a surprise winner in the relay.
“I thought we were going to win it because we ranked super high, but at districts we just wanted to coast in a solid time because we all had a busy day that day,” Johnson said.
Friday was not a busy day for Johnson. The relay was his only race. He is among the favorites in the 800 and 1,600 that will be run today (Saturday).
The relay was the only event where the Wildcats scored, but Quinn Bertrand qualified for the finals in both hurdles races .
Loomis coming up strong
Loomis high jumpers Shay Swanson and Gunnar Hadley tied for fourth place in the Class D high jump, but going out at 6-2.
The Wolves also had a strong showing in the shot put where Clay Meyer and Cristian Blincow finished sixth and seventh, respectively.
On the Podium
- Axtell’s girls finished the first day in fourth place in Class D, just six points away from the leader, North Platte St. Pat’s.
Jessie Bertrand led Axtell’s effort, clearing 10 feet in the pole vault to finish second. The Wildcats finished fifth in the 4x800 relay with a time of 10:23.40l
- Shelton got on the board when Emmilly Berglund placed third in the discus with a throw of 119-8. Loomis’ Hanna Stewart was fourth with a 118-0 throw and Jayda Schroeder of Elm Creek was seventh in the event with a throw of 112-11.
Winning the qualifying heats
- Axtell Rachel Nordhausen and Ansley/Litchfield’s Carli Bailey won their preliminary heats of the 100-meter high hurdles and Bailey came back to win her 400-meter dash preliminary heat and her 300-meter low hurdle heat.
- Overton’s Will Kulhanek won his preliminary heat in the 100-meter dash.
Finals Qualifiers
GIRLS
100/200 — Autumn Holt, Loomis
200 — Adysen McCarter, Overton
400/100 HH/300 LH — Carli Bailey, Ansley/Litchfield
400 — Maeli Meier, Overton
100 HH — Rachel Nordhausen, Axtell
BOYS
100/200 — Will Kulhanek, Overton
400 — Calvin Finley, Ansley/Litchfield
110 HH/300 IH — Quinn Bertrand, Axtell